Bihar Polls: Which party has most number of candidates with criminal cases?

With campaigns gathering pace in the battleground, Bihar is all set to vote in the upcoming Assembly election that will see a tough fight between the RJD-led Mahagatbandhan and the BJP-led NDA.

As the voters gear up to exercise their franchise beginning October 28, here’s a picture of political parties and candidates with criminal cases.

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The Tejashwi Yadav-led RJD has fielded the highest number of candidates with criminal cases. About 73 per cent (30) of 41 candidates analysed from the party have declared criminal cases against themselves and 22 (54 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Interestingly, Bihar’s richest candidate who will compete in phase one of the upcoming state Assembly elections has the highest number of criminal cases.

RJD leader Anant Kumar Singh, who has declared assets worth Rs 68.56 crore, faces 38 criminal cases including those of murder, extortion, kidnapping and possession of illegal weapons, according to an analysis of affidavits by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The assets of the RJD leader, who is currently in jail and the sitting MLA from Mokama, recorded a jump of 144 per cent in the past five years. Singh had won his last assembly from Mokama from jail as an Independent candidate.

The RJD is followed by the BJP in which 21 (72 per cent) out of 29 candidates analysed have declared criminal cases against themselves and 13 (45 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

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About 24 (59 per cent) out of 41 candidates from the LJP have declared criminal cases. In the case of Congress, 12 (57 per cent) out of 21 candidates face criminal charges.

While in the JD(U), 15 (43 per cent) out of 35 candidates face criminal charges, eight (31 per cent) out of 26 candidates analysed from the BSP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.